In the Beginning
by VA23
Summary: The ninja world is in a constant state of war. Everyone fights not for village, but for family. This is the story of two brothers as they try to survive in, and make sense of, this mad world. This is how it began for Hashirama and Tobirama Senju.


Greeting and welcome everyone, to my second story involving the Shodai and Nidaime Hokage. Well before they became Hokage, of course. In it, I use everything available to us from Kishimoto about the Naruto universe around this time to the best of my ability. I will try to keep things as canon as possible, with a bit of fan fiction freedom thrown in every now and then.

Enjoy.

xxxxx

The coppery smell of blood was so overwhelming, he thought he'd never get the stench off him no matter how many times he bathed and washed his clothes. Even more of the smell permeated the battlefield as the young ninja stabbed his ninjatō into his enemy's chest, obliterating the heart and ending his life.

As his latest opponent joined the dozen or so corpses around him, Hashirama Senju flicked the blood off his blade and slid it back into the scabbard at his waist, the point of the blade stopping a half foot from the end of the wooden katana sheath. This was due to his ninjatō being only a foot and a half long, rather than the customary two feet or longer of the samurai's katana. When an enemy saw the sheathed blade, they automatically thought it to be a katana, and thusly weren't prepared for the split second quicker draw the shorter ninjatō offered.

The twenty year old Senju looked down at his forest green battle armor that was stained crimson with human and animal summon blood. "Maybe I should just dye it red, so the blood doesn't show so much," he muttered to himself. His earth brown pants and black sandals were also blotched with red. As Hashirama touched the right side of his armor, he hissed in pain as liquid fire shot through his body from the touch.

"Sonuvabitch!" he growled as the adrenaline finally subsided to alert him to the small laceration across his torso near the bottom rib. Not all of the blood on him was just the enemy's. Wondering just how long he had been bleeding and hoping his liver hadn't been hit, Hashirama took off his armor, pulled his field med kit out of his pouch and began wrapping bandages around himself.

Muttering darkly to himself as he bandaged his wound, Hashirama didn't notice that one of the bodies wasn't dead yet. The enemy shinobi held in a whimper of pain as he carefully and quietly got to his feet, sword in hand and ready to kill the raven haired Mokuton user.

Hashirama noticed two things almost simultaneously. One was the shadow of a man behind him as he pulled a sword back into a piercing position. The second was a flash of fast flying steel. He then heard a gurgling sound and a weapon being dropped to the ground. Turning around quickly, but carefully as to not re-open his wound, Hashirama saw a kunai sticking out of the other shinobi's throat.

"You need to be more careful, Gera-kun," said a mirthful voice. "If you die, Pop's gonna bitch at me for not watchin' your back."

Frowning at being called a woodpecker, Hashirama turned to see his younger brother Tobirama walking towards him as he used the ring on a kunai to spin it around on his index finger. For a young man of only 16, Tobirama's eyes had seen far too much death. While they sparkled with the laughter of youth, his light brown eyes also carried the sadness of watching far too many comrades die on the battlefield.

The white haired Senju wore the same kind of battle armor as his brother, but blue in color to represent his fondness of water jutsu. His armor and clothes didn't have a speck of blood or dirt on them; though Hashirama highly suspected that Tobirama had quickly washed it all off before searching for his brother. Instead of a normal ninja weapon at his side, Tobirama had a custom made machete strapped to his back with the kanji for the number 4 etched onto the blade and the Senju clan symbol on the hilt.

"It's good to know that the only reason you wish to keep me alive is so that Father doesn't reprimand you," Hashirama said as gave the battlefield a once over to make sure no one else was breathing when they weren't supposed to be.

Tobirama put his hands behind his head and gave his brother a wide grin. "You also make the best damn kare raisu I ever tasted."

Satisfied that all the enemies had been dealt with, Hashirama looked back to his brother. "We should get back to camp before Aunt Kotone sends out a search party again."

The younger Senju shoved his hands into his pockets as he rolled his eyes. "For real. The last time she sent out rescue squad to 'save' us, they found us safe and sound in Motobunabi city."

Hashirama narrowed his eyes as he and his brother walked side by side back to the rest of their clan. "No, that was only you. I stayed to help pack the camp, while you got drunk off your ass yelling curse words at hobos in the park."

"Details, details," Tobirama said as he waved his hand nonchalantly. "By the way, you owe me one."

The brothers walked in silence as they headed through the forest, listening to the crickets chirp on this nice summer's day. After a few minutes, Tobirama began humming to himself while Hashirama put his hand on his sword hilt. The white haired Senju glanced at his raven haired brother. "When'd you notice?"

"As soon as we entered the forest, of course," Hashirama answered.

"Mind doing the honors?"

"Of course not."

Hashirama put his hands in the Ram seal while Tobirama flashed through hand seals at lightning speed.

"Kai!"

"**Raiton: Yoraishin!"**

The genjutsu the brothers had been in dispelled as the God of Night Lightning technique shot out in all directions, black bolts forcing four ninja out of the trees. They landed around the Senju in a circle, cutting off any escape route. The brothers stood back to back and drew their weapons. Hashirama noticed that they all had varying clothes, but wore the same metal arm guard on their right arm, each a different color.

"Look what we have hear boys!" the man in front of Hashirama proclaimed loudly to the group. "A pair of filthy tree fuckers." The other four laughed at their leader's insult of the Senju bloodline. The leader had a sharp face with a soul patch on his chin. His black hair on his head was slicked back with so much oil it shined.

Hashirama scowled as he gripped his ninjatō while Tobirama had an inquisitive look on his face. "Tree fucker?" he wondered out loud. "How would that even work?"

"Pay attention!" Hashirama hissed at him. "These guys are from the Nori clan."

"Ah good," Soul patch said as he grinned cruelly. "You've heard of us. Then you also know that our assassination teams are created to the play specifically against the weakness of our targets. For example," he said as he held up his arm guard, showing it to be red in color. "You can combine the earth and water elements to make wood, which is why my fire affinity is best to turn you to ash. But if you use just water or earth, my associates," he motioned the two on either side of him, "will be glad to help me." The one on Soul patch's right had a yellow guard for lightning, while the one on the left had brown for earth.

Soul patch brought attention back to him by asking the brothers a question. "How did you know I was putting you under a genjutsu? I thought I did an adequate job."

"It was the cricket chirping that gave you away," Hashirama said as he licked his lips in anticipation. "Farmers without a thermometer count the number of chirps within 14 seconds then add 40 to get the temperature."

Tobirama continued the explanation. "Your imaginary crickets chirped fifty-seven times in 14 seconds. Adding 40 to that, the current temperature would be nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and it definitely ain't that hot."

Soul patch gave the brothers an appraising look. "So you are clever as well as strong. We'll just have to see who's stronger, won't we?" As he and his fellows poised themselves to strike, Hashirama spoke up, trying to buy some time.

"Wait! Isn't it courteous to give your name to your opponent before a battle?"

A condescending smile overtook Soul patch's face. "Wishing to know the names of the ones who killed you, eh? Very well. I am Nori Saburo, third son of the mighty Nori Takeo. And these are my brothers…"

"Nori Gorou," the one with the earth bracer said.

"Nori Shichiro," the one facing Tobirama said, flashing his white bracer, most likely for wind.

"And Nori Shiro, at your service," the brother with the lighting bracer said, bowing slightly to Hashirama.

With the introduction out of the way, Saburo and Shiro rushed Hashirama, while Shichiro and Gorou took on Tobirama. Both Senju dropped a smoke bomb and leapt to the tree tops, the four Nori brothers in pursuit of their targets.

"B-12!" Tobirama yelled as he sped away from his brother, telling him in code to meet back at the lake they had camped at during the previous night.

"F-25!" Hashirama called back. _The forest is where my strength lies. _

"You sunk my battleship!" the brother in blue yelled as he disappeared from sight.

Hashirama smiled at his brother's antics and made several one handed seals with his left hand. When he finished, seven tree branches shot at Shiro, attempting to impale him. But before the wood reached him, Saburo punched out with his right arm and a jet of fire shot from his clenched fist, burning the branches and saving his brother.

'_He did that without hand seals',_ Hashirama thought to himself in surprise.

Saburo took notice of the Mokuton user's stricken face and smiled. "Confused? Well, I'll explain. I studied under the priests at the Fire Temple for a few years. They mold their chakra in a very different way than ninja do, and are capable of creating flames with just the movement of their bodies. After studying under them for a while, I left to rejoin my family and bring honor to my clan on the battlefield. The monk's weren't too happy that I took their secrets and left, but…" he shrugged as though saying _'What are ya going to do?'_

Shiro took this lull in the battle to make his own hand seals. Hashirama recognized the seals as one of the jutsu Tobirama used.

"**Raiton: Tenka!"**

"Shit!" the Senju yelled as he jumped from the branch he was on to a neighboring tree trunk. The Fire Caused by Lighting attack struck the tree Hashirama had just left and turned it to ash within seconds. _'Tobi's attack doesn't do nearly that much damage. Maybe their arm guards increase the power of their attacks?'_ The raven haired Senju jumped to the ground and headed back to open ground so no more trees would become casualties. The Nori brothers pursued him from the branches to gain a lead on him.

'_Perfect', _Hashirama thought with a grin. Sheathing his sword, he started a new set of seals. **"Sarumokikaraochiru!"** With a pulse of chakra leaving his body, he used the Even Monkeys Fall from Trees technique to make the trees in the surrounding area unable to be stuck to with chakra. Before Saburo and Shiro had slipped from the tree tops and began falling to the ground, Hashirama began yet another attack.

"**Doton: Futarigoroshi!"** The Double Murder attack could be used with any of the elements to make a pair of spikes that would impale two opponents. Hashirama decided to use Earth since he couldn't use moisture in the air to create water like his brother and didn't want to use too much chakra on Mokuton.

While Shiro used a lightning jutsu to blast apart his spike, Saburo created a jet of flame from his feet that launched him up and over the deadly spear. Hashirama frowned at the unsuccessfulness of his jutsu. He exited the forest, stopped running after 100 feet, and turned to face his two opponents as he drew his ninjatō.

Shiro smirked as he looked at Hashirama's weapon. "Using a metal blade against a Ration user? Not very smart."

"Perhaps," Hashirama said in an unimpressed voice. "But I'd be worried if I was up against a talented shinobi."

The lightning brother snarled at the Senju's mockery. As he made to strike out in his anger, Saburo put a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm yourself, brother," he said. "Never let your anger control your actions. Come, let us use _that_ attack."

Shiro smirked again as he knew which jutsu his brother meant and stood at Saburo's right. Both of them began flying through hand seals.

Noticing how much chakra the pair was putting into their attack and not knowing what to expect, Hashirama began his own seals. He created a Mudslide Barrier to protect him, the earthen wall shooting up between him and his enemies.

The brothers completed their seals. Saburo shot out his right arm and Shiro mirrored him by flinging his left arm out. They both called out the technique.

"**Sugoikesshou Bakuha!"**

A bolt of intensely heated lightning shot from between their hands. When it struck the barrier it exploded tremendously, destroying it and everything within a 20 foot radius. The Nori brothers grinned in triumph, knowing that no one could have survived being that close to the Great Plasma Explosion's blast. Their grins grew when the dust cleared and they saw the charred and smoking body of the young Senju.

But their victory quickly turned to surprise as both of them were dragged down and buried to their necks in the ground. They spluttered in shock when Hashirama and an Earth Clone rose from the dirt.

"Just because your enemy raises a shield, it doesn't mean he isn't planning a counter-strike," the Mokuton user said he looked at the melting Mud Clone that had taken the explosion for him. "Now to end this," he said as he and his clone drew their swords. "I'll be sure to send your heads back to your clan."

As Hashirama and his doppelganger swung their swords to behead the brothers, Saburo inhaled deeply and blew fire out of his mouth, sweeping the flame side to side, forcing the real Hashirama away and melting the Earth Clone. He then heated the ground around him to make it hard and brittle. Saburo quickly escaped and made to help his brother out, but Hashirama didn't give him that courtesy, slashing at the fire user with his sword and forcing him to jump back.

Hashirama was on him in instantaneously, slashing and stabbing at the sleek haired Nori. Saburo evaded the sword strikes with some kind of fluid dance, fire shooting from his hands, feet, and even his mouth in a beautiful yet deadly tango with his Senju opponent.

The raven haired Mokuton user swung his ninjatō high above his head and brought it down to try and cleave Saburo's head down the middle. But the fire user leaned back in a kind of pseudo-back flip and kicked Hashirama's sword out of his hand with his right foot, his left trailing a deadly plume of flame.

Hashirama avoided getting burned by using a split second replacement with his sword up in the air. While he fell, Hashirama began a quick series of seals while Saburo held his hands close together and created a ball of fire. He then lifted his arms up, wrists close together, and let loose a blazing inferno, thick as a tree trunk, just as his long haired target finished his hand seals.

"**Katon: Hibashira!" **Hashirama screamed, launching a Pillar of Fire like Saburo, matching the other in heat, intensity, and strength. The flames met in midair, the heat and force of the attacks actually keeping Hashirama suspended for a few seconds, before both ninja stopped feeding their jutsu and the Senju continued his fall.

As he fell, Hashirama saw Saburo sweating profusely and his breath raged, chakra depletion evident. The younger ninja also felt his chakra stores low, so many jutsu right after another taking their toll. And that B-class Pillar of Fire technique did nothing to help.

Hashirama saw Saburo grin, and the Nori created a spear of fire in his hands. He took aim at his falling opponent, letting him get closer for a better target.

But Hashirama wasn't going to make it that easy. He flew through hand seals in desperation and called out, **"Banryoku!" **and a Myriad of Green Leaves quickly sped toward him and created a cushion of foliage that he landed on with a yell of pain as the cut on his abdomen reopened. He ignored the pain, got to his feet, and jumped the remaining ten feet to the ground, just as Saburo's fire spear pierced the leaf cushion and set it aflame.

Hashirama and Saburo stared at each other, their breathing coming even more raged and their faces glistening with sweat. _'I've probably got enough for three minor jutsu, or one major,' _the Mokuton user thought grimly. _'And by the looks of him, Saburo's probably the same.'_

The ex-monk began laughing. "I haven't had to push myself in battle this hard since I fought my older brothers." Saburo covertly looked behind his Senju opponent to see Shiro shifting the dirt around in order to escape. He just needed another minute and then both brothers would team up again and end this filthy tree fucker's life. "But I suppose all good things must end sometime." And with that, fire enveloped his arms to become two burning tentacles. Saburo swung the tendrils, forcing Hashirama away from Shiro so he wouldn't stop his escape.

The raven haired Senju ducked and weaved as Saburo valiantly tried to burn him. He flew through several new hand seals, quickly reached into his pouch between seals, and pulled two kunai out. He flung the knives at Saburo's left and right, finished his jutsu, and put his right hand on the ground. **"Doton: Haoto Nokogiri!" **He flung the Buzz Saw like a discus, the earthen blade whistling as it cut through the air.

'_Damn it!' _Saburo thought in surprise as he noticed that if he moved left or right to dodge the saw, the kunai would hit him. _'But not good enough!'_ He bent his spine backwards, and heard his back give off a few painful pops. But it was worth it to watch the saw sail harmlessly over his body. When he righted himself, Saburo saw Hashirama running for his ninjatō.

"Oh no you don't!" The Nori said as he punched out with both arms, the fire tentacles extending as they shot at the other ninja.

When Hashirama heard the roar of the flames, he dropped to his knees to allow the fire to overshoot him and slid the final few feet to his sword, picked it up and flung it with all his might at Saburo.

The ex-monk cackled at the pitiful attempt to kill him and jumped out of the way. But his mirth quickly turned to horror when he heard a pained yell from behind him. Turning around, he saw that his brother had just managed to dig his way out of the hole, only to be pierced with the blade. Shiro lay on his back, the sword going all the way thru his right lung, blood quickly pooling around his quivering body.

"Yes!" Hashirama cried in triumph as Saburo turned to face him, pure wrath and grief blazing in his eyes.

"BURN!" the fire brother screamed as he retracted his fire tendrils and slammed his fists on the ground, causing a wall of fire to speed toward his enemy.

Hashirama flipped jumped over the blaze and landed with a stumble as his side gave another painful surge to let him know he was still bleeding. Looking up, he saw that Saburo and Shiro had disappeared, opting to run away instead of finishing the fight. Hashirama sighed in relief and began walking with his hand over his wound toward the lake where he was sure Tobirama was either fighting the other two or had already won. The Senju came upon the spot Saburo had lifted Shiro from and frowned.

"Bastard took my sword."

xxxxx

And that'll do it for this chapter. I apologize for not covering Tobirama's fight in this chapter, but I wanted to do him justice by giving each brother their own chapter. His will of course be next time. Besides, eight pages are enough for an intro chapter anyway and I didn't want to overload the awesomeness too quick.

I do hope you all enjoyed and are intrigued by my newest story. I do believe mine is the first that centers on the young Senju brothers before the Uchiha get into the mix.

Some quick notes: Hashirama is indeed wearing forest green battle armor, rather than the red we know him to wear. I thought it made sense since he can create trees. And Shinsui…I mean Tobirama isn't wearing that furry white thing around his neck yet, nor the white face guard, nor does he have the three tattoos on his face.

And a special thank you goes out to my good friend (and very talented author) MegaB, who was kind enough to beta this for me.

Please tell me your thoughts by leaving a review.


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